


Only a Stop Away

by isabelbarret



Series: Living in an Alternative World [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Meetings, Getting Together, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 08:36:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7215316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabelbarret/pseuds/isabelbarret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack's never liked flying. When his only option is a multi stop flight he prepares for the worst. Except for for when a cute blonde haired brown eyes man comes and sits next to him, Well, Jack thinks the plane ride won't be so bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only a Stop Away

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on an AU: where both stuck on this multi stop flight we might as well become plane buddies that i saw on tumblr a while back. I started this a long time ago and finally decided to post it, sorry for any grammar and spelling errors. Please enjoy!

Jack never liked flying. The way the air always tastes stale after five minutes and being forced to sit way too close too so many people makes his skin itch in a way he can’t fix with a scratch. But it’s an important aspect of his job so he breaths through it. 

Except this isn’t for his job and he’s not simply heading to the next game. Jack’s on a flight to Paris, heading to some quickly planned funeral for a great aunt he’s never even met. He tried to duck out of it, until his mother snapped at him, something she rarely does, and before long he was agreeing to be on the next flight to Paris. 

Somehow his life can never be simple and there was no direct flights leaving that day. He’s in San Francisco, shooting an advertisement for a healthy food services. It’s something George forced him into doing though he does use their products and therefore didn’t put up much of a fight. But now he’s wishing he had because he’s added on several more hours to his flight time. 

After tracking the quickest course that could get him there by the next day he realized the only way was a flight that made several stops. He feels his chest tighten up, almost calls his mama to tell her he can’t make it. He thinks about the way she called him ‘Jack Laurant’ in a scolding voice that he had heard since he was a child. He books the flight. 

He’s one of the first people to board, is able to snag a seat by the window. It’s not till he’s sitting that he realizes how weird it is being on a plain without the Falcs. He’s so used to having Tater constant stream of chatter in his ear that the plane almost feels quite without it. Or it does until someone's baby starts screaming. 

The middle seat stays empty until the last second. An older man takes the aisle seat, tucking a big suitcases by his feet. Just when it looks like everyone settled down a guy comes rushing into the plane. The planes mostly filled and it doesn’t surprise Jack in the least that he heads right for the empty middle seat beside him. 

“Is this seat taken?” He asks, he’s got a strong southern accent and cheeks are flushed a light pink. He’s got these big brown eyes and golden blonde hair and it takes Jack only 30 seconds to realise how attracted he is to this man. He hasn’t been attracted to anyone this fast in a long time, Jack’s sure he’d flushed a bright red. 

“Umm..no, it’s-a free,” Jack wants to cringe at his own awkwardness. If the man noticed anything he doesn’t let it show, simply clammers over the old man and plops down into the seat beside Jack. 

“I was almost sure I was gonna miss my flight,” He says pulling his seat belt over his lap. Jack not sure what to say so he just nods, trying to settle into his seat. 

Their about forty minutes into the flight when he notices that the guy keeps giving him looks. He hasn’t been recognized his whole time in San Francisco, it being not much of a hockey town. It was refreshing not to get stopped in the street, asked to sign autographs. It’s not that he doesn’t like talking to fans it’s just that social interactions with friends can be tiring to him, talking to strangers is exhausting. 

“I’m sorry, this is probably rude but you don’t happen to be in that new show, you know, where the zombies are actually aliens?” he asks. 

“Umm, no,” Jack says; “I play hockey.” 

The guy looks at him for another minute before he flushes, “Oh my lord, you play for the Falconers. Your Jack Zimmermann.” 

The guys looking at him wide eyed; “yeah, I am.” 

“Wow,” the guy says like this is the craziest thing he’s ever heard, what catches Jack off guard is when the guy starts laughing; “my friends would skin me alive if they heard it took me this long to recognize you, for goodness sakes I live in Providence.” 

Jack doesn’t really think it’s that big of a deal, it’s not like he’d really consider himself a celebrity or anything. He is surprised to hear that this guy lives in providence, especially on a flight not heading back there; “pretty small world, eh?” 

“Your mother spoke at my graduation.” 

“You went to Samwell?” Jack’s surprised. It’s a small liberal art school therefor making it pretty uncommon to meet people that went there. His mother, as a well known allum, did stuff at Samwell a lot. Charities, making appearances and apparently speaking at gradations. 

“Yeah, I graduated last year, she did a speech at commencement, it was really good.”

“I’m sure she’d appreciate you saying that,” Jack heard his mother do speeches before, he’s sure she was good. He tries to make a mental note to watch it so he can mention it when he sees her. 

“I’m Eric Bittle, by the way,” he holds out a hand for Jack to shake which he does, even at the awkward angle caused by them sitting next to each other; “but everyone calls me Bitty.” 

Jack laughs; “that doesn’t happen to be a hockey nickname, does it.’ 

“Yeah, I played at Samwell and it sort of just stuck.” 

“My team calls me zimmboni, but I’d prefer if you call me Jack,” he says, earning a laugh from Bitty. 

For the rest of the flight they talk. Jack doesn’t usually find it this easy to keep a conversation going with someone new but Bitty’s amazingly easy to talk to. He laughs at all of Jack’s jokes like they're the funniest thing he’s ever heard. Jack doesn’t realize he’s checking off the traits Bitty on his ‘I find you attractive’ checklist until he is. Small (check) blonde (check) likes hockey (check) easy to talk to (check). 

Apparently Bitty also owns his own bakery with his friend Holster who he played with at Samwell. And that he was visiting his friend Chowder in San francisco but also there to do some big article for a food magazine. Jack is very impressed. 

Jack also learns that his ‘eat more protien’ comment from an interview is a meme (whatever the heck that is) and they sell them on T-Shirts. 

“You have to be kidding,” Jack says laughing. He can’t believe someone would want a T-Shirt saying that. 

“I’m not! My friend Shitty has one!” Bitty’s laughing too. 

“Shitty?” Jack can’t believe that’s someone's actual name. 

Bitty just struggs; “hockey nickname.” 

Jack surprised when he’s sad to learn that they’ve started landing. He’s liked talking to Bitty, definitely made the time go by fasters. He liked having a plane buddy of sorts, a nice barrier between him and the rest of the world. He hadn’t realised how relaxed he was until it’s being disturbed. 

The stewardess says over the intercom that anyone staying on the flight to Oklahoma City needs to remain in their seat. All around him people are standing up, collecting their stuff. Bitty’s still in his seat, hasn’t even started to pack up his things. 

“It was really nice to meet you,” Jack says.

“I’m staying on,” Bitty says looking startled, “to Oklahoma City.” 

“Oh,” Jack says really no more of a breath as relief washes over him, “so am I.” 

“Good,” Bitty says giving him a wide smile; “I’m glad.” 

They sit in their seats, watch the plane empty out and then fill up again. After a couple of minutes they end up deciding on watching a movie. They don’t offer that many, and their ridiculously expensive; but eventually they settle on one of the James Bond films. They share a pair of headphones, turning the sound up high to hear it over the noise of the plane. 

Jack not really paying that much attention to the movie though. He thinks he’s seen it before, or maybe at least part of it. Instead he’s focused on the way Bitty pressed up against his side so he can see the small screen. The way he shifts in his seat when there's a jump scare. His cheeks practically pressed up against Jack’s shoulder, he can feel his breath on the side of his arm. 

Jack’s sure he’s flushed pink, feels warm sitting so close to Bitty. 

It’s not until the land in Oklahoma City that Jack learns the Bitty’s staying on all the way to Paris. He’s going to some food convention and multi stop flights are cheaper. 

They have an hour before the plane takes off to New York, so they're able to get off and grab some food. Bitty seems pretty out of it, eyes droopy and pretty unresponsive. He lets Jack decide where they eat, getting them both salads that look sort of good. After he’s eaten Bitty perks up a bit and even convinces Jack so come get something from Starbucks with him. 

Bitty orders some horribly sugary drink, that can’t possibly be coffee. He chirps Jack repeatedly for getting just a black coffee, and Jack mentions that at least he won’t be dying of sugar overload. Bitty rolls his eyes as they head back to their terminal. 

Their able to get seats together again, which Jack’s glad for. The planes not at full as before and he’s guesses once they're in New York it’ll empty out even more. Not that many people want to take red eye. 

They start another movie, a comedy that isn’t very funny. He’s not really surprised that within a half an hour he sees Bitty start to drift off. He’s leaning up against his shoulder now, his arms are wrapped around Jack’s like a kid holds a stuff animal. It’s cute and terribly sweet. 

He reads some of his book, a recommendation from Snowy. He’s been having a hard time getting into but it’s nothing that a boring plane ride can’t fix. He’s able to read quite a bit before they start landing. 

Bitty jolts awake when they touch down, the plane bumbling along. His hair sticking up on one side and he rubs sleep out of eyes. 

“Sorry I fell asleep on you,’ Bitty mumbles only half awake. 

“I don’t mind," Jack says, he really doesn’t. Offer his shoulders up any day to Bitty. 

Some people file off the plane and then even less people get on. At some point Bitty offers Jack a headphone, which he takes happily. The music is pop and upbeat and not anything he recognizes. It’s not the kind of stuff he usually listens to but he forgot his own headphones and doesn’t mind listening to Bitty’s. 

They listen for a while, even after the plane taken off again. The good thing about having a flight so late is there's so few people. Nobody sits in the aisle seat beside Bitty, and as soon as the seatbelt signs have gone off he’s stretching his legs out. 

“Do you want to put your head on my lap?” Jack asks. He’s not sure if thats weird to offer, but Bitty doesn’t look comfortable trying to curl up on the two seats. Plus Jack doesn’t mind the idea of Bitty using him like a human pillow. 

“Really?” Bitty asks, looking up at his surprised. 

“Sure, put your pillow on my lap,” Jack says, taking Bitty’s pillow from his hand and setting it down in his lap. Bitty lays his head at first tentatively before rolling into a more comfortable position. 

“Thanks Jack,” Bitty says, voice gone soft. It’s intimate in a way he hasn’t been with anyone in a long time. It feels nice, Bitty’s pressure feels nice against him. 

It doesn’t really take Bitty long to drift off. He makes these little sniffling snore like what one would expect from a dog. It surprises Jack just how adorable he finds it.   
He drifts off for a little to, face pressed against the window. He’s never been good at falling asleep in public places, even when he was a kid. But Bitty’s soft snores and the relative quiet of the plane lulls him to sleep. 

When he wakes up, though he’s been fading in and out for quite a while, they only have an hour left. He hadn’t realised how tired he was until he finally closed his eyes. Usually by this time, even after a game he would been in bed. He likes his schedules and braking it is exhausting. 

Bitty’s turned so his face is pressed into Jack’s stomach. He doesn’t even ralise what he’s doing until it’s so late. He runs his fingers through Bitty’s hair, feeling the way the shaved sides are still soft and the top practically silky. Bitty’s eyes flutter open and jack pulls away as fast as lightning. 

“Don’t stop,” Bitty murmurs, giving a sleepy smile; “feels nice.” 

Jack surprised, he was sure the reaction he was going to get was disgust. That Bitty would pull back, move away from him. Instead BItty rolls over, gives Jack more access to his hair. It’s sweet, the way Bitty hums when Jack scratches against his skull. He wonders if BItty would say yes to a date. 

He’s sad when they finally land at two in the morning. He’s sad that Bitty has to sit up and he can’t keep running his fingers through his hair. He just wants to stay in that perfect little moment in time. 

He helps BItty, who's still pretty disoriented, pack up his bag. He’s taken basically everything out and left it strewn across their three seats. He hopes they got everything though he highly doubts it. 

Their one of the last people to leave the plane. They wait patiently in line to get their passports stamped, Bitty’s rambling on about this recipe he read about earlier today. 

He means to ask Bitty for a date or maybe just his number but as soon as he’s through security his parents descend upon him. They're both talking at once, fast and in a mix of french and english. When it feels like they’ve finally said all their hello’s he turns to look for Bitty. 

He’s gone, Jack doesn’t see him at baggage claim or anywhere. He feels a sinking feeling in his stomach, hard and heavy. He didn’t even get his number. 

“Everything okay Darling?” his mother asks, hand resting on his back. 

“What?” he says turning back to face her; “oh yeah, everything's okay.” 

His mother nods and smiles leading them over to get his suitcases. 

It isn’t till after the funeral is over and he’s headed back to Providence (a non stop flight) that he realises he has a way to get in touch with Bitty. He searches up Eric BIttle bakery, find a location and a well written article right away. That afternoon he’s programing the location into his GPS and taking a short drive across town. 

He feels like a little bit of a stalker when he walks into A Slice of Pie! The place is relatively small but light and airy. There's a few customers sitting around in the several small circles tables, all enjoying some pie. 

Bitty’s back is turned to him when he approaches the counter, fiddling with the coffee machine. Jack quickly scans the menu; “Can I have a slice of the apple pie?” 

When Bitty times around his face seems to light up; “Jack! What are you doing here?” 

“I was wondering if i could have a slice of pie,” he takes a deep breath, hopes this goes well; “and maybe a date?” 

“Really? I mean yes! I just didn’t think-i’m not sure what to..” Bitty’s flushed bright red but also smiling. 

“Is that a yes?” Jack wants to be sure. He thinks it is, hopes it is. 

“Yes definitely,” Bitty smiling at him so wide it looks like it hurts. 

“I meant to ask at the airport but you left before I could.” 

“Oh, well I didn’t want to interrupt you talking to your family,” Bitty says, Jack wants to tell him that he wouldn’t have minded at all; “but I’m glad you came and found me.” 

Jack smiles, matching Bitty’s at he cuts him a slice of apple pie; “me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! comments and kudos always appreciated. come talk to me on my [tumblr](http://isabelbarret.tumblr.com)


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